Presents for Seafarers
A group of youngsters, all Confirmation candidates at Holy Rosary parish, Billingham, many of whom attend St Michael's School, visited the Tees Seafarers Centre shortly before Christmas, bringing with them 105 shoe box size presents for seafarers. The collation of the boxes had been a special project within their formation and training in advance of their confirmation in due course. Fr John Butters was also present as was catechist Peter Kelly and his wife Caroline. The project had been inspired by St Mattew's gospel "I was a stranger and you welcomed me..."
The group had begun by appealing for donations of toiletries, socks, woolly hats, chociolates, sweets. writing paper and pen, diary for the new year, calendars etc. Such was the response that within two weeks of their appeal, they had already surpassed the planned number of presents. Next came the sorting and wrapping which culminated in the 105 boxes referred to above.
The group were lively and intelligent and were very interested in what the Centre had to offer, particulary when nine Filipino seafarers from theYarrawonga, a bulk carrier newly berthed at Redcar Ore Terminal, arrived to spend the evening at the Centre. After conversing with the seafarers, the group took the opportunity, to give the crew 21 boxes, one for each man on board, and of course recorded the occasion on camera.
This has been a superb effort, by the youngsters, and indeed by those leading them, to recognise the gospel values of 'welcoming the stranger'. The Filipino seafarers themselves, as is usual, recognised the family values, and were genuinely delighted by what had occured.
Filipino Seafarers with the Confirmation candidates
Tony McAvoy
AOS NE